The stage was filled with dozens of cancer survivors at the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure in Miami on 10/15/11. (Source: CBS4)

The stage was filled with dozens of cancer survivors at the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure in Miami on 10/15/11. (Source: CBS4)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) — October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that means it’s time for South Floridians to lace up their walking and running shoes for the 17th annual Susan G. Komen Miami/Fort Lauderdale Race for the Cure.

The Race for the Cure will take place on Saturday, October 20, 2012 in front of Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.

The race includes a 5K walk and run, one-mile fun run and a tot run for kids aged 2 – 7.

There’s also a Survivor Processional and Ceremony. It begins at 7:30 a.m. and features a survivor processional to the stage, followed by a 25 minute ceremony dedicated to honoring breast cancer survivors. At the end of the ceremony, the crowd walks to the start line and the Race begins at 8:30 a.m.

The crowds of men, and women, children and even dogs should begin arriving around sunrise.

The South Florida leg of the national movement had more than 23,000 participants last year who helped raise $1.6 million for breast cancer research.

This year, about 20,000 people are expected to participate and there’s still time to register.

Participants race to raise cancer research funds, honor survivors and remember the people who didn’t survive.

The race/walk will begin at Biscayne Boulevard at NE 3rd Street and loop around downtown Miami.

NW/SW 2nd Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from NW 1st Street to Coral Way

Brickell Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from SE 8th Street to Biscayne Blvd Way

Vehicular traffic entering or exiting Brickell Key or the many buildings along Brickell Key Drive will have access at SE 8th Street, 13th Street and 15th Street Road. A counter flow will be established on Biscayne Blvd from NE 5th Street to SE 2nd Street

Access to the Miami Center and the Intercontinental Hotel will be allowed on SE 1st Street

Miami Police officers will be deployed along the route to assist motorists.

Participants can take Metrorail to the race. To get to Bayfront Park, ride Metrorail to the Government Center Station, then transfer to Metromover’s Inner Loop. Exit at the Bayfront Park Metromover station. Patrons can also transfer to Metromover from the Brickell Metrorail station. From the Brickell Metromover station, take the northbound Metromover train to Bayfront Park station.

Metromover is free. Metrorail is $2 per trip. Use the Train Tracker on Race Day for real-time Metrorail service info at www.miamidade.gov/transit

The majority of the runners should cross the finish line by around 10:30 a.m. followed by entertainment and speeches at Bayfront Park.

Since 1996, the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Komen affiliate has raised more than $12 million for breast cancer screening, treatment and research programs.

Lisa Cilli joined the CBS4 News team in June 1995 as producer of the Noon Newscast. It's a position she held for ten years and during that time, the broadcast was the #1 ranked Noon newscast in South Florida.
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